Altar Boys: A Failed Ritual
by TenshiOnna
Summary: The Tachibana twins, Itsuki and Mutsuki, are the best hope for a small village tucked away in the Japanese mountains. Their story is one fraught with love, resentment and terrible loss. Warnings: Twincest, Shonen ai, angst in later chapters
1. Twins

Hey! I know, I know. I'm in the middle of like five stories right now... (blush) But! On a brighter note, this one is pretty linear and so I should be able to finish it rather quickly if I just set myself on the path. :D So! I got this idea cause I was talking to GoldBryn about the games and then we started chatting about the Itsuki and how she should draw a picture (cause shes an awesome artist, see her deviant art account, seriously.) and then this idea popped into my head cause everyone loves twins! Uh, hello, have you not seen the fandom George and Fred Weasley from HP have? Anyways! Enough blabber. I hope you all enjoy this. I have to say that Mutsuki is coming out a little more... needy than I had first intended... but thats okay, Itsuki's coming out all right. :)

Disclaimers: Fatal Frame and all characters belong to Tecmo. I have no rights to them what so ever and do not claim any ownership.

* * *

Itsuki watched as Mutsuki bumbled around, his younger twin looking for some silly ball that he'd thrown under the Tachibana house porch while playing with Chitose. The others black hair shone in the mid-day sun and Itsuki smiled softly as he continued to watch the slightly clumsy boy. 

"Na, Itsuki! Stop staring and help me! Chitose said she's going to tell father that I lost her ball if I don't find it by tonight. Please, Ituski!" Mutsuki trotted over and fell to his knees in front of his older twin, who was sitting on the porch edge. Both looked impeccably the same, except for the slightly more angular turn in Mutsuki's eyes and the slightly squarer jaw that Itsuki sported. The younger boy's lower lip trembled and he attempted his best pity face, the one that always had his elder brother give in eventually.

"Mutsuki... are you sure it even fell under there? I thought I saw it bounce around behind the Osaka's house." Itsuki watched as Mutsuki's head turned to look behind him, his jaw slackening as his big dark eyes flicked over the house across the path.

"Nnn... well... Itsuki... Can you-"

"No."

"Will you-"

"No!"

"Please! They scare me." He muttered, his lips pouting out once more. Itsuki sighed heavily and shook his head. "Itsuki... don't you love me!"

"Eh! Mutsuki! Really! You don't have to be so loud." Itsuki muttered, looking up and down the small path, luckily void of any villagers. A small bird chirruped over head and Itsuki looked up to see the small red feathered creature sitting on the ledge of the roof, its small beady eyes turning one way then another, watching the two boys as if trying to understand something about them.

"Look at that, we have an admirer." Mutsuki said, his cheeks flushing a pretty pink as he watched the small bird.

"I think he likes you, Mutsuki." Itsuki's voice took on a teasing tone, causing his younger brother to blush furiously and smack him on the head playfully. "Heh, just kidding, brother. I love you."

"I love you as well. Now... The Osaka's are supposed to be home today... if you could just-"

"No."

"Aah! Itsuki, please!"

"Its your ball! You go ask them if they have it!"

Mutsuki scowled darkly before getting up and brushing off his knees. "Fine, since you don't want to be a kind, loving, generous brother, I will have to go and face the demons myself. You selfish, terrible, unloving, mean, resentful-"

"Mutsuki! Really." Itsuki grunted and stood up, shaking his head as he grabbed Mutsuki's hand and drug him over to the Osaka's front door. "I'll stand here with you, but you have to ask."

Mutsuki smiled brightly, his eyes glittering in the waning sunlight as he squeezing Itsuki's hand. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Itsuki mumbled as his knuckles rapped on the hard, weather worn wood door.

* * *

"And just what were you doing to cause your ball to bounce into the Osaka's garden! Really, you boys never think! You're always causing trouble, getting into stupid situations. I swear, if you two weren't so important to this village..." Mr. Tachibana ranted, his hands in fists as they rested on the dining table. Itsuki and Mutsuki lowered their heads in shame, standing to the side as Chitose and their mother sat demurely at the table next to their father. Mr. Tachibana scowled and grunted as he picked up his bowl and began to shovel rice into his mouth, stopping every now and then to mumble about his sons being trouble makers. 

"Otou-san... It wasn't really our fault." Itsuki said after a moment, his stomach growling angrily as he watched his family eat without the twins. "It was kaze-san... He swooped right down, snatched the ball in mid-air and- ugh." Itsuki stopped mid-sentence as Mutsuki's boney elbow jabbed into his side. He frowned, hunching his shoulders as he rubbed his sore side.

"Itsuki, your mind must've been taken away with that ball. Alas, the Osaka's didn't find that in their garden as well!" Mr. Tachibana growled angrily and then shook his head and sighed. "Eat one bowl of rice, then up to your room. Both of you."

"Yes, otou-san." They both muttered, moving forward simultaneously to kneel at the dining table and grab their bowls, filling them with as much rice as they could before starting to eat slowly.

Itsuki glanced up at Chitose as he heard her shift a bit and felt a small foot touch his knee under the table. Smiling as she looked up at him and mouthed a sorry, he finished his bowl of rice. He'd just come down later and grab something for them anyways, mother always left something out whenever they were denied dinner.

* * *

Itsuki raced up the stairs and through the house, the sound of thumping footsteps coming up behind him. He panted heavily as he looked over his shoulder, a grin stretching his lips as he saw Mutsuki barrel up the stairs and rush straight into a wall, bouncing off and then chasing down the older twin once more. "Can't catch me, little brother!" 

Mutsuki wheezed and careened around a corner, just barely catching site of Itsuki's light blue yukata disappearing into the tatami room. Grinning widely, he slowed and pressed against the wall, slinking slowly along it till he got to the door, where he leaned slowly towards the room. He could hear Itsuki curse as the older twin tried to get the warped sliding door to open.

"Iiiiitsssuuukiiii." He moaned, in his scariest voice. A giggle and then a triumphant whoop from the other boy in the room as the sliding door opened had Mutsuki racing into the room, only to once more have lost his elder sibling. Frowning, he stood with his hands on his hips, eyes narrowed, as he walked through the wide open warped door. "Itsuki? Iiiitsuuukiii!" He called, his voice ringing with false innocence. He could hear his mother in the small northern part of the tatami rooms and he smiled at her as he closed the thin wooden door at her bidding.

"You two boys. You really should act your age." She scolded as the door slowly slid shut, a large smile nullifying her reprimanding tone. Mutsuki grinned guiltily and then closed the door till it clicked shut and turned, heading for the storage area. He didn't say anything or go in, instead pressing his cheek against the wooden door to see if he could hear anything inside.

Itsuki pressed his cheek against the door into the storage room, his eyes flicking around in the dark room as he tried to listen for his brothers whereabouts on the opposite side of the door. He paused as he heard breathing, finally convincing himself it was just his own. A slight movement at his feet caught his eye and Itsuki looked down to see a shadow moving in the light along the bottom of the door, then stilling, the moving around a little just outside the door. Itsuki grinned and bit back a giggle as he moved away from the door, shuffling as quietly as he could over to hide behind a dresser that was conveniently in the closet.

The door slowly opened as Mutsuki pressed against it gently, his fingers splayed on the wood, his nose poking into the room before his head pushed through the crack. "Itsuki?" He hissed softly, not really knowing why he was being quiet, but doing so anyways. There was a soft creak from a floor board and Mutsuki grinned as he heard a soft gasp. Slowly, he moved into the room, sliding through the crack between the door and wall when it was wide enough, and then closed it behind him.

His slipper clad feet almost didn't make a sound when he shuffled around in the darkness of the room, his hand out in front of him as he moved around the familiar hiding area. He could hear Itsuki breathing as he got closer and closer. Finally his fingers touched something warm and soft, silky strands of hair slipping between his fingers. "Ah ha! I found you!" He announced, delighted as his brother burst into a fit of laughter. He was pulled down into a warm embrace, hugged so tightly he couldn't breathe. "Ah... Itsuki, can't... breathe!" He gasped out, pushing gently against the others shoulders till he was allowed to go. He perched himself in between Itsuki's outstretched legs, grinning goofily as the others fingers touched his cheek and nose and forehead.

"So... you've found me. I guess that means I lost." Mutsuki could hear the pout in Itsuki's voice and he grinned as he wiggled forward and wrapped his arms and legs around Itsuki's form.

"Yeah! So that means that you have to pack the picnic. And do my chores for, um, the next week."

"Uh! Mutsuki! That wasn't part of the deal!" The grin was evident in Itsuki's voice and Mutsuki chortled happily as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Itsuki's face. In the dark it was hard to tell where, but he guessed somewhere between his lips and eyes. Itsuki grunted and pulled away, his hand leaving Mutsuki's arm to, presumably, wipe at his face.

"Itsuki..." Mutsuki whispered, leaning forward, trying to see his brothers face in the dark. "Itsuki... do you love me?"

"Mm... That's a silly question Mutsuki. Of course I love you. You're my brother. And why are we whispering?"

"I dunno... cause it fits the moment. And... will you love me forever?"

"Forever and ever. Never will a moment go by I won't love you. You're my brother after all."

Mutsuki smiled at this answer, mumbling that it was a good one. Itsuki chortled again and then pushed Mutsuki to the ground, tickling the younger boy mercilessly till he was screaming and shouting, their father and mother finally rushing in, thinking something was the matter.

* * *

"Mutsuki?" Itsuki walked into their room, his lips turned down into a frown. He'd just gotten home from Yae and Sae's only to be told by Chitose that Mutsuki wouldn't come out of their room. He sighed as he heard a soft sniffle from behind a displayed kimono in the corner. "Mutsuki..." He reprimanded softly, walking over to sit next to the kimono, his brothers feet visible underneath the hung clothing. One hand reached under and he grinned as he tugged on the sock clad foot playfully. 

"Stop..." Mutsuki sniffed, his foot being pulled back further, out of Itsuki's direct line of sight.

"Stop what? What's wrong, Mutsuki? Why are you all tucked away like that?" Itsuki playfully chided, his hand pulling back the heavy kimono so he could see his brother curled up against the wall in the corner. The younger brother usually ended up doing this whenever he was in trouble from his father, or when there was lightening storms outside. Bitting his lower lip, Itsuki maneuvered himself so that he was able to reach in and grab Mitsuki's yukata, pulling roughly on the other, much to the younger boys displeasure. "C'mere! I want to hold you! Mutsuki!"

Mutsuki turned violently, slapping his brother away and then curling with his face against the wall, his breath coming in raged gasps. Itsuki stared wide eyed at his brother, his hand touching his cheek where he'd been slapped. "M-Mutsuki?" Itsuki blushed at the whine in his voice, but he was confused. Why was his brother suddenly acting so violently? So angry?

A soft sniffle and Mutsuki's voice sounded weak and Itsuki had to crawl closer so he could hear. "You couldn't even wake me up or take me with. You like Yae more than me." He sniffed again and then shook his head. Itsuki scoffed and backed away, his mouth hanging open.

"Oi! You sound like a little girl!" He said, completely thrown off by his brothers behavior. "What on earth? I hadn't gone to see Yae, Mutsuki. Stop jumping to conclusions! I was going to see the Ceremony Master..." Itsuki's voice trailed off and he looked away from the other boys back, his fingers twisting in the cotton of his own yukata. "We were... we were speaking of... well... Mutsuki, come out here."

A loud sniff and then Mutsuki turned, his head hung low, hair obscuring his face, as he crawled out and over to Itsuki. Itsuki smiled and tapped under his brothers chin, earning a wet sniffle and the others head resting on his shoulder. "I... I'm sorry Itsuki."

"Its alright, you big baby." Itsuki chuckled and wrapped his arms firmly around the other. He could feel Mutsuki smile against his throat, the other boy sighing softly and relaxing in his arms. "You know... I was talking to the Ceremony Master about... about you." Itsuki's voice was soft and timid when he spoke, and the hands that tightened on his thighs as he spoke also confirmed Mutsuki's fear. "He told me... he told me that you will become a butterfly, and we will become one. We will be with each other for always, Mutsuki."

Mutsuki sniffled again and snuggled closer, his smile growing slowly.

"And know what else? He told me that the more we love each other, the better the ritual goes." He whispered, his voice cracking a bit at 'love'. He frowned as he felt Mutsuki smile even brighter and get closer, the younger boy setting in his lap.

"Itsuki?" Mutsuki mumbled after a moment of silence, his head raising a bit so he could whisper into Itsuki's ear.

"Mm?" Itsuki's eyes opened to slivers, having closed them in the peaceful silence.

"Wh... Why don't you kiss me anymore?"

"Huh? Mutsuki?" Itsuki pulled away, blinking as his brother blushed and looked away. "What do you mean? Aren't we a little old for goodnight kisses?" A small smirk crossed Itsuki's lips as he watched his younger twin blush a brighter pink.

"Nn... Yeah... I guess..." He muttered, looking at Itsuki out of the corner of his eye. "But... Brother... we... we don't have much longer... The ritual... I was just... Well..." Mutsuki pursed his lips together and sighed as he looked away from Itsuki and at the hanging kimono.

Itsuki watched his brother carefully and then tapped his cheek. "Hey... Hey, hey." He smiled as the other finally drug his gaze back to Itsuki. "Alright... just one." He said, leaning forward and pressing his lips against Mutsuki's own briefly, before the other could say anything.

Mutsuki's eyes widened and then slid shut as he returned the kiss, which ended quicker than he wanted. "Thank you." He said, a small smile on his face as he rose from Itsuki's lap. "I promised Chitose that we'd play with her when you got back."

Itsuki stared up at his brother and huffed. "Making promises for me _again_?" He smiled as Mutsuki giggled. "Alright, alright. Lets play demon tag." He grinned as the other boy nodded and then followed him out of their bedroom and down to the clock room where Chitose was playing with a friend and her ball.

* * *

Yay! So thats the first bit. I'm working on the second as we speak and hopefully will have it out soon. If there are any complaints about the two and their personalities, please tell me. I really enjoy these two, but like I said, Mutsuki is coming off a bit more needy than I had originally intended. (blush) So er... yeah, please don't hesitate to say something. :)


	2. Is it wrong?

Ack! So this part SUCKS major hairy balls. And no one really wants to do that. (sigh) Anyways... Heres the second part. Sorry it took so long, and fyi, it wasn't meant to suck this bad. In the second part there is mention of masturbation. Yes, I will repeat, masturbation. So, if this squicks you out... don't read the second half. In fact, this whole chapter is kinda pointless. (livid) I seem to do that alot. Grr.

Disclaimers: All characters belong to Tecmo, etc.

Enjoy. Or don't. Whatever. :D

* * *

Itsuki hummed through his nose as he walked through his house, opening random closets and looking in to see if his nearsighted sister had stumbled in. "Chitose?" He called out, his head looking around the front entrance closet. There wasn't anything there but unused tatami mats and some blankets. Itsuki sighed and got up, heading down the tatami room hallway and for the stairs to go up. 

"Chitose!" Calling out, Itsuki's feet thudded on the hard wood floor. As he ripped open a storage room closet, he paused at the entrance and called out again. "Chiiiitooooseeee." He smiled when he heard a soft gasp and then laughter from down the hallway.

Itsuki shut the door and walked along down the twisting corridor till he came to his brother holding his sobbing sister, half her small form still in the storage closet under the raised tatami room. Mutsuki looked up at Itsuki, smiling as he saw his older brother, gently moving the young girl in his grasp.

"It's okay, Chitose, you're okay now." Mutsuki crooned as Itsuki came and kneeled beside them both. The older boys hand came out and stroked Chitose's hair. "See, we've found you. We wouldn't let you stay in a closet forever." A hint of laughter was in Mutsuki's voice and Itsuki chuckled as Chitose scowled at them, her pretty grey eyes narrowing dangerously. Or at least as dangerously as an eight year old girl can muster.

Both boys burst into fits of giggles and the young girl smiled softly, also starting to giggle along with them as she forgot her recent peril.

* * *

"Itsuki! Mutsuki! Get into the bath before the water gets cold!" 

Itsuki looked up from his diary, his brother sighing softly as he put down the brush he was using to plait Chitose's hair. The young girl looked up at him, touching her and then thanking Mutsuki softly as she stood up and walked out of their room.

"Heh, you're getting better at the whole braid thing, Mutsuki. Guess you'll have to teach me so I can start braiding your hair! You'll look so pretty with a few braids." Itsuki cooed as his fingers went to Mutsuki's hair, parting small bits here and there.

Blushing, Mutsuki slapped Itsuki's hands away and then started down for the bathroom, his older brother on his heels, still messing with his hair. Both boys started laughing loudly as they got closer to the bathroom, Mutsuki jogging to get away from Itsuki, who kept cooing like a mother, his fingers stretched out for his brother soft hair.

The bathroom was full of steam as they entered, the tub full of hot water that steamed in the moonlight. Both boys quickly undressed, Itsuki filling a bucket full of warmed spring water as Mutsuki struggled to get his yutaka off. When they both were naked, they started pouring water over themselves, rinsing off the grime from the day.

"Ew! Mutsuki! You're such a dirty boy, we should fix that!" Itsuki grinned widely and grabbed Mutsuki's head, sticking it under the faucet and turning it on. Warm water came splashing out onto Mutsuki's head and over the stone floor. The younger coughed and sputtered and shouted at his brother to let him go.

"Boys! Boys!" Their father pounded on the door, the wooden door shaking wildly from the force of his fist. "Stop playing around and get into the bathtub!"

"Yes, otou-san!" Itsuki said, releasing Mutsuki who fell back, his bottom slapping wetly on the stone floor. Itsuki chortled giddily and turned off the water, grabbing a bar of soap and scrubbing his body.

"Itsuki... you really have to stop getting us into trouble all the time." Mutsuki was whining again, but the older twin just shrugged it off, taking the bar of soap and lathering his hands before scrubbing the other boys oil black hair.

"Yeah, yeah. Well what's he going to do to us, Mutsuki? Send us into the forest and never let us come home?" He grinned widely. "Think of all the adventures we could have. And we could stay together. Forever." Itsuki's voice took on a wistful tone and Mutsuki's head hung low on his chest, his brow creased with worry, as his brother carefully washed his hair.

Mutsuki returned the favor of washing Itsuki's hair. They got yelled at once more as they rinsed themselves off, tossing water back and forth between them.

"I really hate that he yells at us all the time... We're just playing. Its not like... we have forever..." Itsuki sighed and stepped into the bath tub, sighing as his leg sunk in and then he stepped fully in, his whole body sinking to his nose in the hot water.

"Itsuki, he only yells cause you always cause trouble." Mutsuki stood outside the tub, rubbing his arm for a moment and looking contemplative before he joined his twin in the steaming water.

Itsuki grinned as his brother stepped into the tub and promptly tackled the other, water splashing precariously and some even falling to the already soaking stone tiles. Mutsuki shouted, his halds flailing around as Itsuki tickled him. The younger boy splashed water at his twin, causing Itsuki to start a coughing fit and then retaliate with a wave of water at Mutsuki.

A loud banging on the door had both boys stopping instantly, Mutsuki ducking down into the swaying bath water till only his face from his under lip and up was visible above the misting bath. Itsuki stood in all his naked glory, one hand half way in the water to swing at Mutsuki again, as he turned to stare at his father who poked his head in.

"I told you once! I told you twice! You waste any more water, and you won't get any iced treats!" He shouted, his face red with anger. Really, those two boys! If they weren't so important to the village...

Itsuki stuck his tongue out at the door when it closed and then flopped down into the stilling water, leaning back against the wall of the tub. Mutsuki promptly sat down next to him. Both boys were pink in the face from the heat of the water. It was quiet for a moment and then Itsuki yawned loudly, his jaw cracking a little with the strain his yawn put on it.

"Gosh, I'm tired..." He muttered, slipping further down into the water, his eyes closing as his head rolled to the side and onto Mutsuki's shoulder. The younger twin smirked and splash Itsuki's face, causing a giggle from the other boy.

"Maybe if you didn't use every moment to masturbate at night then you wouldn't be." Mutsuki chided, his lips turned into a fond smile as he watched his brother yawn again.

"Mmm... What's it to you? You do it as well, everyone does." Mutsuki blushed and looked away.

"Ka-san told me that if you do that too often, you'll get warts on your hand."

Itsuki snorted. "That's just an old wives tale they tell children so that they behave."

It was quiet again for a moment afterwards, both boys starting to drift towards sleep in the warmth the bath offered. "Itsuki?"

"Mm?"

"Who... who do you think about... when you touch yourself?"

Itsuki raised his head and looked at Mutsuki, who was staring at his wrinkled hands as if they were the most interesting things since rice pots. "Mmm... I think about... Yoshino. Remember? That really cute girl who visited last summer from the village across the mountains." He smiled, pulling his knees up to his chest as he watched his younger brother.

"Do... do you think about... Yae?"

"Huh? Ew, no! She's like... She's like my sister, Mutsuki! That's like asking if I think about Chitose!"

Both boys sniggered and 'ew'd and then settled down after a moment. The steam rose in thin curling white strands of mist, glittering in the moonlight that was able to filter through the windows curtain.

"Well... who else do you think about?"

Itsuki frowned and then shrugged. "Why?"

"I'm just curious."

"Who do you think about, Mutsuki?"

Mutsuki blushed bright red, which wasn't very noticeable since his cheeks were already reddened from the bath, but Itsuki caught the others body language well enough anyway. Being twins had its advantages.

"You think about Yae, huh? Huh!" Itsuki grinned and prodded his brothers side, causing the other to squeak and slip under the water. After a second, Mutsuki reemerged, coughing and sputtering.

"No! She's a sister to me, just like you said."

"Well! Who do you think about then?"

"No one! Never mind, forget I said anything."

"Mutsuki! I told you! Well... do you think about a boy? Its not bad to think about a boy, Mutsuki. I do... sometimes." It was Itsuki's turn to blush as he struggled to get Mutsuki to look at him, but his brother was so busy trying to not make eye contact, he paid no notice.

Mutsuki was fighting his brothers hands away before what the other had said sunk in finally. "Is it? You do?" He asked warily, looking up at Itsuki through his eyelashes.

"Yeah!" Itsuki grinned widely, his hands falling away from the other as the more timid twin shifted nervously. Mutsuki's face was one of caution and a little fear.

"Well... Yeah." Mutsuki muttered, leaning against Itsuki and tucking his head in the crook of the older twins neck. Itsuki frowned at this behavior, a simple action dawned from their childhood when lightening storms would scare the younger brother.

"Mutsuki? Is something wrong?" Worry tinged Itsuki's voice.

"Mm... Its okay to think about... other boys but... Itsuki? Is it... okay to think about your brother?"

Both twins were silent for a long time afterwards.

* * *

WOW! Didn't end how I wanted it to. I forgot the rest of the conversation that they had in my head. >. Gomen nasai...


	3. Tears and Fears

Woo hoo! So here is the next installment in this here little story. :D

I just wanted to thank everyone for their reviews. They're really too kind. Thank you Goldbryn, EtherealShadow, Lain-sama, Ex-Animeaddict (How can you be an _Ex_-anime addict? I thought it was a life time following :D), and Sarah KOM (Hey, even if you don't like twincest, at least they're cute, right?)

So, yeah. I tried to make this one longer and it just kinda... came out boring. Oh well! Hope you enjoy and I shall get on the last part (next to the epilogue) soon. :D

And... Disclaimers: Fatal Frame II belongs to Tecmo and Sony.

* * *

"Itsuki! Itsuki!" 

Itsuki looked up from the waters under the bridge, the movement of his shadow scaring away the koi that'd gathered to eat the bread he was dropping into the water for them. "Huh? Oh, hello, Yae." He smiled at her, the girl blushing prettily. But not as pretty as Mutsuki, Itsuki decided silently.

"Itsuki..." Yae looked at him with sad eyes, her lips turned down into a frown. "I was speaking to father today and... and he said..." She looked away, down into the murky water of the pond. Itsuki dropped another ball of bread in, fish hurrying to the surface to get it first. He knew what she was going to speak of and briefly wished she would hurry so that they could get it out of the way.

"He said that... the ritual... Oh, Itsuki!"

Itsuki stared at the water, his face neutral but inside his heart aching with a pain so fierce that even the gods looked away in shame. "I know, Yae. Father told... Mutsuki and I about it last night." The image of Mutsuki's face burned in the back of his mind, the way the other had stood stock still, no emotion radiating from the usually emotional twin.

Yae stood silently next to the boy, watching the koi with Itsuki until the sun disappeared behind the top of the mountain. Only a faint pink along the horizon left of its light guided Itsuki home.

* * *

Itsuki sighed heavily and pulled his yukata around his shoulders tightly as he walked through the house. It was quiet and dark, even the moon wasn't giving off enough light to accommodate Itsuki's path up the stairs to his room. His slippered feet thudded softly on the wooden floors and shadows danced about the large clock hall. This was the last night he and Mutsuki would be able to sleep in the same room. After this he would be sent over to the Kiryu house to stay in a room identical to the one that Mutsuki would remain behind in. Then they would begin the cleansing for the ritual, releasing their memories and ties. 

Or at least that's what Mutsuki had to do. Or so he'd told Itsuki this. The older brother was afraid for his younger brothers safety. How could they make him forget his family? No... This didn't seem possible or very unhelpful to the ritual. Or so he believed.

A soft sound from his fathers room made Itsuki jump and hide in a nearby closet. A faint crack of light appeared and hushed voices drifted out of the room. Itsuki frowned and carefully crept out of the closet, creeping silently towards the doorway. He knelt down just outside the door, his ear pressed against the wall in an attempt to hear more of what was said inside.

The voices hissed on for a moment before pausing, scaring Itsuki to press back into the shadows next to the doorway. What if they'd heard him? Surely father would be terribly distraught if he caught his eldest son snooping when he should be in bed. Nibbling his lower lip, Itsuki waited patiently, his body stiff so as not to make any sound, till the whispering began once again.

"-should take the elder there tonight. Without waking them from their slumber." The mysterious voice mumbled. Itsuki thought it sounded distinctly like Mr. Osaka.

There were a few grumbles that Itsuki knew was his father. The old man took to grumbling and mumbling when something upset him, and Itsuki sure knew how to upset him.

"Yes. It was done fifty years ago, with the Kiryu twins." That voice... was Mr. Kiryu, it had to be. Itsuki frowned, confused as to what they were talking about so late at night. Licking his lips, he pressed forward, resting on his fingertips to get closer to the crack in the door. The light barely brushed along the tip of his nose and Itsuki paused in fear as the voices stopped abruptly again.

After a few moments, the gruff voice of none other than Mr. Kurosawa spoke up. "Yes. Itsuki will be taken tonight. It is the proper way."

Tonight? Taken? As in... away? From Mutsuki? But... But not yet! Not yet! He still had this one night with his brother! He'd been told he had this last night! Itsuki began to tremble violently as he slowly stood up, ignoring his fathers voice as it began to speak and hurried his way back to his bedroom where his brother was sleeping, waiting for him.

"Mm... Itsuki..." Mutsuki rolled over, rubbing his eyes as he slowly pushed himself up on an elbow to look at the other boy who'd shaken him awake.

"Mutsuki, Mutsuki... brother, wake up."

"I'm awake, I'm awake..." Mutsuki grumbled, irritated to be woken so late at night. Had Itsuki just gotten back?

"Shh! Keep your voice down." Itsuki reached over and placed his hand over Mutsuki's mouth, cutting off the others questions to where he'd been. Mutsuki frowned, his brothers hand warm and sweaty against his mouth. "Mutsuki... I... I love you. You know this right?" Why was Itsuki being so weird? He never said he loved him unless provoked. And why was he trembling?

Mutsuki reached up and took the others hand from his mouth. "Itsuki... what's wrong?"

"They're going to take me... Tonight."

"What? Take you? Where?"

"Duh, Mutsuki! Where do you think?"

"Don't get angry with me!"

"Shh! Shh, shh!" Itsuki's hand clapped on Mutsuki's mouth once more. "They're taking me away to the Kiryu's tonight."

Once more Mutsuki removed the hand. His lower lip pouted out and his eyebrows drew down in concern. "Why?"

"I don't know why, Mutsuki... I just... I just wanted to warn you so that you wouldn't be afraid when you woke up."

"Itsuki, I-"

"Shh! I think someone's coming... Hurry, lay down!"

Mutsuki felt tears prick his eyes as he did as he was told, his body curling up into a ball. The warmth of Itsuki's body as the other enveloped him didn't comfort him, the sound of slippered feet padding down the hallway towards their room frightening him more than even the angry thunder. Clutching at his brothers bare chest, he tried to calm himself as the footsteps stopped right outside the door, a flickering light from a candle showing under the doorway.

There was a soft rumble from Itsuki's chest and Mutsuki started at the feel of it under his fingertips. He looked up at his brother in question, but the other just stared down calmly, continuing his humming. It soothed him, Mutsuki realized as his eyelids drooped. The familiar tone of the hum and the warmth of his twins body, the arms wrapped securely around him. There was a sharp pain in his chest as Mutsuki realized this was probably the very last time he'd ever be held by his brother like this again. Ever be this close to him... Except for the ritual.

This thought startled Mutsuki so much that his eyes snapped open once more. But the familiar warmth was gone, his brothers body replaced by a pillow and the morning sunlight filtering through the paper screen window.

* * *

Itsuki sighed as he stared at the two dolls facing each other in front of the Earth gate. It'd taken him three days to figure out how to get it open, but he'd finally succeeded. The mechanisms that worked the dolls and gates were complex and Itsuki briefly wondered just how long it had taken the village to build it. And if they'd had to order the parts from far away. 

Probably, he mused as he climbed down the ladder into the tunnel that led back to the Tachibana house. He hadn't been allowed to leave the Kiryu house since he'd been taken that night and the Kiryu house master had told him he wasn't allowed to be tainted by the outside world. Not until the night of the ritual would he be allowed to leave the confines of the house. It was infuriating.

But what irritated Itsuki the most were the masks the ritual partakers wore in his presence. He was allowed to wander the house during certain times of the day (all other times he was confined to his room) and during that time, the women were kept out of sight and all the servants and the Kiryu house master (or just Mr. Kiryu as Itsuki had figured out the first day) all wore very well made oni masks. They were indeed frightening but Itsuki wasn't nearly as frightened of them as he was for his brothers well being. Especially if he was being treated the same way as Itsuki.

Mutsuki had always been one that needed contact. Whether it was with him, his brother, or one of the other family members. Itsuki clearly remembered a time when Mutsuki had been locked up in his bedroom for a day, for speaking out against an important guest, and the younger twin had nearly gone insane with grief. Itsuki had been allowed in with his brother after the other had been crying at the door for him for over an hour.

Itsuki paused at the ladder to climb up into the Tachibana house. His palms felt sweaty and small tremors of fear coursed through his body as he stared up. Nibbling his lower lip, he gripped the lowest rung and pulled himself up. He hadn't thought of how he'd get through to his brother after he got to the house. Hopefully luck would be with him and there wouldn't be anyone out and about.

There was a soft click as Itsuki pushed open the gateway and moved into a room he'd never been in before. In all his years living in this house, he hadn't been allowed in a couple particular rooms. This one was definitely one of those. There were a bunch of covered dolls, their feet visible under the white sheets that covered them. How odd. Frowning in confusion as he passed through towards the exit, Itsuki was kind of glad the dolls eyes were covered and they couldn't see him. It made the whole situation just that much worse. Surely he was out of line coming here without permission.

Peeping out into the hallway, Itsuki thanked his lucky stars as there was not a single soul around. A few flickering lamps dotted the way, allowing the usually shadowed hall to be illuminated during the evening. Looking around once more, he slowly tiptoed out into the hall, walking around the corner and down the hall that was made similarly to the one in the Kiryu house. Turning a corner, Itsuki paused and listened for any sounds of people coming. It was silent and Itsuki swallowed a lump of fear that was threatening to cut off his air and continued towards the room door. Hopefully they kept Mutsuki in the same kind of room he himself was in.

A small nook on Itsuki's right side was covered by a hanging curtain and Itsuki pushed it to the side as he peered at the door beyond it. Fear pounded through his veins and made his vision swim as he panted to keep up with his hearts pace. Reaching out a hand, Itsuki pushed against the door and slowly opened it, his head peeking in before he took a step into the room.

It was dark, only lit by a few red paper lamps and Itsuki sighed heavily as he stepped through the door and into the room. "Mutsuki?" He hissed, fear keeping him from speaking above a whisper. "Mutsuki? Are you in here?"

Itsuki checked behind the kimono without any luck. He checked the dressers and the bedding and the closet and the small off hallway that led to the tatami hall. Nothing. No Mutsuki. Knowing time was running short, Itsuki huffed in an irritated manner and tried to think of where his brother might've gone to. Maybe he'd gone to their old room up above the clock hall...

Steeling himself, Itsuki quickly headed out the door he'd come through and out into the hallway. Once out into the open again, light illuminating his path, Itsuki felt his heart thunder in his chest again. They'd notice he was gone soon, he had to find Mutsuki! Itsuki's slippers softly padded on the hard wooden floors as he moved towards the stairs where he climbed slowly, confused that he hadn't run into someone yet. There weren't any servants about, no hovering oni masks used to scare children during festivals and break bonds between family members during rituals.

Licking his lips nervously, Itsuki peered around the corner and took a deep, shuddering breath as he continued down the hall that his brother and he used to play demon tag along so many times before. This place didn't even feel like the home it had been less than a week before.

The barred off room loomed at the end of the hallway and Itsuki bit his lower lip harder to keep from shouting out for his brother. He didn't even know if the younger boy was in there, he only could guess. As he walked closer, the sound of a soft sniffle was heard and he briefly wondered if his sister, Chitose, was in the room. Surely the young girl hadn't been told about what her brothers were about to participate in. It would break her fragile heart, especially since she loved Mutsuki so much.

A head full of black hair was seen through the bars and Itsuki felt his feet pick up pace as he loomed closer. "Mutsuki?" He called quietly, fear lancing through his body as his mind cringed at the possibility of it being someone else.

But luck was once more on his side and Itsuki's face split with a grin as the younger boy looked up from whatever he was reading. A soft gasp from his twin as he was seen had Itsuki rushing forward faster and faster till at last the boys were clinging to each other through the bars, Itsuki's hands grabbing at his brothers red yukata, trying to pull the other closer to him.

"Itsuki! Itsuki!" Mutsuki was sobbing, his face pressing against the bars and tears falling down his cheeks as he grabbed at his brother as well. It broke Itsuki's heart and he felt a sobbing breath leave him as well. "Itsuki, I've missed you so much."

"Me too, brother, me too." Itsuki jolted as a shout of surprise came from down the hall to his left.

"What have you done! What have you done! You stupid boy!" A sharp sting as his father slapped him had Itsuki stumbling away from Mutsuki. His hand lifted to cover his reddening cheek, his eyes wide as he stared at his father, the oni mask barely concealing the rage that made the atmosphere feel suffocating.

Itsuki pleaded and begged with his outraged father, as servants came rushing in from the rest of the house and even from the Kiryu's, to be allowed to see his brother, speak to him just a little while. But his pleads fell on deaf ears as his father began to chant and the servants all grabbed Itsuki's arms and drug him back and away from Mutsuki, the younger boy watching from behind the bars the entire time, his knuckles white as he clutched at the bars and silent tears traced down his pale cheeks.

"Mutsuki! Mutsuki, I love you!" Itsuki wailed as he drug through the doorway and back to the Earth gate where he was taken back to the Kiryu house and locked away for the next three days.

* * *

It was on the last day Itsuki had to remain in his room that he began to cry. When he awoke in the morning he found his pillow wet with tears and his mind still reeling with the night terrors that had woken him so early. As the day progressed, the feelings of hopelessness progressed till finally, Itsuki was laying on the floor howling for his brother. He cried so much he cause himself to vomit his breakfast and when he was sick from lunch, the Kiryu master finally had enough and headed over to the Tachibana house and bring Mutsuki over. 

Itsuki usually wasn't one to have tantrums for what he wanted, but this one time, for some reason, he found that it was the only thing he could do. He laid choking on his tears and own terrible sadness, when his brother came in, shuffling meekly over and kneeling next to Itsuki, his face looking down at the tatami that made the flooring of the room.

Itsuki shot up from his place on the ground and wrapped his arms around Mutsuki so tightly the other had trouble breathing. Soft words of love and devotion and need and sorrow flowed from Itsuki's lips faster than he even thought them. After a few moments of the embarrassing mutters, Mutsuki pried himself away from his brother and wiped at the tears that dotted his splotchy face.

"Itsuki... they tell me that you had thrown up... that you were crying... Itsuki... why?" Mutsuki's face was scrunched up into a look of pity and grief as he spoke softly.

"I can't do it, Mutsuki... I can't give you up, I can't give you away! I can't let them take you from me. We should run! Mutsuki, I know how to get away from here, I've been reading! So many others have done it, we can too! We just can't look back, Mutsuki, we can go and I can keep you for mys-" SMACK!

Itsuki stared incredulously at his brother, his cheek stinging painfully from the force of the others slap.

"Stop being so selfish! Stop making this harder than it should be!" Mutsuki's voice was raised and filled with an anger that scared Itsuki with its intensity. Why was everyone getting so angry with him lately! "I can't believe you! I can't believe you're doing this... now... We can't back out, Itsuki..." The others voice cracked and it chipped at Itsuki's heart. "This is for the village... this is for everyone. Stop being so selfish..."

"I'm not being selfish... Is it wrong for me to want you to live?"

"YES!"

Itsuki gaped at his brother. What? Why? "Mutsuki..."

"Its wrong, Itsuki! Stop it! You're being a child!"

When had their roles reversed? He didn't understand... "I just... I just..."

"Do you not want to become one? Do you not want... Do you not want to make me a butterfly, Itsuki?" Tears were spilling down his younger brothers cheeks and Itsuki felt answering tears flow down his own face. He snuffled loudly and shook his head as a low whine escaped his lips.

"Why can't we be... together like this?" He asked, trembling violently as he reached forward to grab Mutsuki's yukata and drag the other to him like a rag doll, holding him close. "I had a nightmare... about... the ritual." Silence from his other half spurred Itsuki on. "I... I failed you, Mutsuki. I failed you in a way that I can never make up. That I can never ask for your forgiveness for... Mutsuki... I'm so afraid..." He finished in a whisper, his dream once more haunting him. A shadowy specter looming over his shoulder, mocking him with a grim reality.

Mutsuki didn't say anything, continuing to half lay in his brothers lap. His arms wrapped around the Itsuki's waist and he tugged himself up so that they came face to face. "I trust you." He whispered, staring into his brothers blood shot and tear filled eyes. He sat in Itsuki's lap and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips. "I trust you. Forever, Itsuki, I'll love you."

Pain flared in Itsuki's heart and his stomach twisted and churned as he looked at his brother, staring at him with trust and devotion shining in his big, dark eyes. It was almost too much. He almost burst out into tears again, tempted to just fling Mutsuki over his shoulder and carry him away. Take him away where no one could ever ask of them what had been their preordained fate since birth.

But he didn't want to enrage the other any more, not wishing to face that wrath once again. It had scared him, seeing his brother so angry and yet so full of fear. The fear that stalked them everyday of their life, just waiting for their strongest moments when it would jump out and strangle any hope from them. And now, as the ritual loomed a few short days away, the fear had gained the upper hand and was throttling every single sensible thought from Itsuki's mind.

"Itsuki..." Mutsuki murmured, shifting against Itsuki's chest and bringing him back from his dark reflections. "Itsuki... Promise me... you won't leave me." The younger boy pressed his face against Itsuki's neck, his fingers curling in his yukata and tugging them closer together, as if he were trying to crawl inside the clothing with his brother.

"I... promise, Mutsuki... I promise."

"Good... I love you, brother."

"I love you as well..."

_And I will do anything for you. Even send you to a place where I can never have you again.

* * *

_

Blah! The ending sucks. Oh well. Well, next its off to the Hell gate. Goodbye Mutsuki! We love you!


End file.
